Mayor's Links

December 31, 2013

Happy 2014!

As we begin the New Year, I want to express my thanks to all of the citizens of Charlotte for caring about our city, and taking an interest in the many challenges and opportunities that are in Charlotte’s future.

My first month as Mayor has been an active one. In addition to meeting people throughout our wonderful community, I had the opportunity to meet with President Barack Obama and talk about Charlotte’s priorities. That meeting, as well as details of my participation in Harvard University’s Institute of Politics seminar for newly-elected mayors is detailed in this newsletter. It was also my pleasure to speak to Honor Roll students at Garinger High School on December 20th. Their dedication, hard work, and commitment are evidence that they understand the role of education in their future, and how it will shape their lives.

While the City of Charlotte continues its legal efforts to retain control of Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), I am pleased to report that Brent Cagle, Interim Aviation Director at CLT, has also been appointed as the Interim Executive Director of the Charlotte Airport Commission. Brent has been managing the airport since last summer, and I’m confident that he and his team will continue to ensure that CLT provides excellent service to the traveling public and our airline partners.

As I begin my new role, I will continue the tradition of those Charlotte mayors who preceded me by ensuring that our community progresses with that same spirit of collaboration that has defined our “can do” and “will do” city. With the New Year comes the opportunity for Council to prioritize its goals and Focus Area Plans. The Council Retreat later in the month will enable us to have detailed discussions about where our city is headed, and what we want the future to look like.

I look forward to collaborating with Council, the business community, local neighborhood organizations and you. We can and will make progress together as we write the next chapter of Charlotte’s success.

Sincerely,

Mayor Patrick Cannon

Electrolux expands in Charlotte

On Friday, December 20, I was happy to join Governor Pat McCrory, Electrolux CEO Jack Truong and Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners Chair Trevor Fuller to announce the decision by Electrolux to expand its operations in Charlotte, adding hundreds of jobs to our city's economy. Electrolux has a footprint that spans the globe, and this expansion ensures Charlotte continues becoming a city of global significance.

Talking Charlotte Priorities at the White House

I was honored to represent the City of Charlotte on December 13 at a meeting with President Barack Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden, along with members of the president’s cabinet and other newly-elected mayors from select cities across the United States.

I urged our leaders and partners at the federal level to help us seek funding mechanisms that will enable Charlotte to develop initiatives that bring manufacturing jobs to our community and region.

My priorities include:

Economic development and global competitiveness

Transportation

Housing

Jobs

Community safety

Taking part in Harvard's Institute of Politics

I joined more than 20 mayors from large cities across the country to participate in Harvard University's seminar on transition and leadership for newly elected mayors. The event was sponsored by the university's Institute of Politics, part of the Kennedy School of Government.

The seminar provided an opportunity to learn from top academic and policy experts on issues and challenges in governing. Topics included transitioning from the campaign to city hall, finance and administration, jobs and the economy, public safety, education and technology.

While there were multiple seminars, two specifically correlated to the remarks I gave in my speech on the night I was sworn in as mayor. Those specific seminars were:

Jobs, economic development and competitiveness

Challenges and opportunities in public safety

The subject matter was directly in line with several of the goals I have outlined; economic development, global competitiveness, and job opportunities.